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| January 1, 2010 | |||||
| Applications for the 2010 Extreme Mustang Makeover are due and there are some changes in store for 2010! | |||||
| ~To start, the Sacramento Makeover has been canceled. Those of us in the northern reaches of California will really need to travel this year. | |||||
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~The venue will be in Norco, California at the George Ingalls Equestrian Event Center. |
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| ~Since this is an Extreme Mustang Trail Challenge, the focus of the competition is changed. The three areas of competition are: | |||||
| ~20% is body condition score | |||||
| ~40% on a natural trail in the arena and in the Norco foothills | |||||
| ~40% on an urban trail in the arena and through the streets of downtown Norco. | |||||
| This could be worth the trip south! | |||||
| As was the case last year,
trainers receive a training and veterinary reimbursement of no more than
$700. as well as 20% of the auction price above $200. |
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| New this year: From Start to Foundation will be sending two trainers: both Krista and Dave have applied and been accepted and will each receive their own 4 year old gelding. | |||||
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| February 13, 2010: Moving Day | |||
| Mustang pick up date. Mustangs are assigned by computer and loaded into the trainers' trailers for the trip home and the beginning of the 100 day journey to their new lives. | |||
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BLM Holding Facility
Ridgecrest ,CA
Our two little guys have left a life of roaming free with all the glories of freedom, and the agonies of life in an overcrowded wilderness, and have begun to learn about domestic life. This corral is their first step towards domesticity. |
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| As yet unnamed, our two little guys are unceremoniously loaded into a chute, where their ID strings with tags are removed. This is a pretty big moment: they're officially starting their journey from BLM Wild Mustangs, to becoming someone's trusted equine companion. The idea is that they'll be so glad to get out of this chute, that they'll unknowingly run into Krista's stock trailer for the ride home. | ||
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After a late arrival home, our boys spent a quiet night in the known safety of the stock trailer. It's now early morning, and they've
entered their home for now: their safe and spacious round corral.
So far, life with humans has been pretty rough: they were rounded up, quite possibly by helicopter. They were herded into close quarters with unfamiliar food from unusual sources. They were gelded, inoculated, freeze branded, and moved around some more, only to be squeezed into a narrow, noisy, dark canyon then chased into a cold metal box that moves. Considering all of the changes they've been through, Polaris and Sirius are settling in quite nicely. Understandably suspicious, their eyes will soon soften even more, and it will be apparent just how quiet and gentle these boys are. It'll be a while until they get cleaned up, though. But, a problem quickly shows itself. Sirius is showing unsettling stiffness in one hock. The Mustang Heritage Foundation is immediately notified, and it's agreed that Sirius is removed from the Extreme Mustang Trail Challenge. With only 100 days to prepare him for work under saddle, it's not feasible to ask Sirius to move along faster than he's physically able. He's moved into the Trainer Incentive Program: Krista will have 100 days to halter break him, ascertain the extent of his disabilities and assess what his future capabilities might be, and adopt him out to a suitable home. For this work, Krista will receive $750. and it looks like someone will get to adopt a wonderful piece of American history. |
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Sirius has entered the Trainer Incentive Program (TIP) and will be available for adoption in June. He'll continue in training with Polaris and the new mustang, as much as he's physically able. Krista will pick up her new mustang on February 19. |
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| The First Week: The Gentling Process Begins | |
| Some trainers 'break' horses
and others 'gentle' them. The processes are probably more alike than different,
and the end result may look about the same. But it's the attitude that
really makes a difference. From Start to Foundation lives by the philosophy
that if a horse is started with gentleness and understanding, learning
will progress much more quickly and find a more lasting and permanent
home in the attitude of the horse towards it's rider and it's work for
the rest of it's life. . |
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Food and Water Food, water, and safety are the prime motivators in the horse world. These mustangs will be hand watered at least 6 times a day. This is a far cry from the possibility of going as long as 3 days without water in the wild. Either Krista or Dave will provide water at first, then others will be introduced, as the mustangs' confidence grows. They live in the confined space of the
round corral. Although it has plywood sides for safety and to cut down
on outside stimulus somewhat, they can still visually explore their
surroundings. |
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Dave is using a training stick to touch Sirius, and reach over to touch Polaris. Although this may look for all the world like a whip, it's really just a tool to make Dave's arm a whole lot longer. He's able to touch them without getting his body close enough to make them uncomfortable. Or put himself in danger! He's going to take all the time they need to show them that he has no intention of hurting or scaring them. It's pretty clear that they aren't too worried about this. Their ears are on Dave, and not on leaving. They both look like a nap might be in their near future, and Sirius' bottom lip sure wouldn't be drooping if he were needing to think of leaving. |
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Flag Polaris and Sirius have shown themselves
to be generally pretty quiet and gentle. Even mellow. A far cry from
Maria and even Rose, 2009's Extreme Mustang Makeover horses. Sirius and Polaris were pretty unimpressed with the stick, so Dave introduces the flag, with a rope close at hand. Their curiosity has far outweighed any lack of trust they might have had in Dave. |
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Ropes Clearly, throwing the rope didn't concern these two very much, and the flag isn't bothering them much, either. |
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So, Dave has upped the
pressure a little, and asked the boys to move off. Dave is keeping
his body in a neutral position and moving the flag in front of them
to ask them to stop. |
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These horses are moving
along nicely in their training, after just a couple of days. Already,
Dave's throwing a rope around and on them, and they aren't disturbed
by it.
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Since these little
guys aren't ready to be haltered, the next step is to rope them. Using
a soft rope, with a loose honda that can't bind up, Dave ropes Polaris
and asks him to turn and face him. This is the opposite of running away,
and is a sure sign of trust and understanding.
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This is a pretty advanced
concept, and Polaris needs a little body English to get the idea. Notice
that even with this added physical pressure, neither Dave nor Polaris
shows tension in their bodies. Although Polaris doesn't yet understand
what's being asked, he's already looking for the right answer.
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Polaris seems to have
gotten the idea and couldn't be doing a better job of turning and facing.
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One of the most fundamental
moves a safe horse learns is to turn and face their handler. In every
situation, and from every position.
Not only is Polaris able to be roped, but he doesn't mind the rope across his butt, and seems to be responding nicely to the pressure on the off side of his neck to turn around and face Dave. |
So just how do you
get a lariat off the neck of a horse you can't yet touch? Ever the innovator,
Dave has fastened a hook to the end of a stick, so he can lift the rope
off of Polaris' neck without touching him, or scaring him by flipping
it off.
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The end of the week
finds both horses not only being touched, but also enjoying the shedding
blade, and looking much better for it!
Sirius has been seen by the vet, and although he isn't technically considered lame, he may not ever become a riding horse, and certainly shouldn't be counted on for competition, He still uses his hock oddly, but has a better range of motion and is moving better. |
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You may have noticed
that this first week of training has been done by Dave with Polaris.
Remember that Sirius, Krista's project, is physically unable to be ridden
in the Extreme Trail Challenge, but has been entered into the Trainer
Incentive Program. He'll be halter broke, his physical condition will
be assessed, and his training will proceed as feasible. He'll be available
for ßadoption to an appropriate home in June.
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February 19, 2010: Comet Arrives Comet, a 14.2 hand handsome, stocky, mahogany bay with a spray-paint star, began his journey to becoming an equine partner today. Krista and Dave picked him up, with Too Hot, the consummate baby-sitter, along to keep him company. Comet walked right in to the trailer like a trooper. Comet promises to be lots of fun. Not only is he absolutely adorable, he's goofy as can be, carrying things around. Work one mustang with a flag, and there's Comet with the handle in his mouth, 'helping.' He made contact with Krista almost immediately and she calls him 'a curious puppy dog.' |
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Comet will be the class clown. Polaris is proving himself to be a bit of a 'smart ass.' making trouble then hiding behind Sirius. Yet another character. Sirius' training is coming right along, and it's expected that he'll be haltered tomorrow.
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| February 26, 2010: Everybody's Haltered | ||
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Haltering Comet-Mr.
Friendly-was no big deal at all.
And where does the lead rope go? Right into Comet's mouth! |
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In fact, this years' haltering has gone much more quickly than last years'. Krista speculates that these geldings come from an area where there has been a lot of domestic horse blood mixed in with the Mustang genes, producing more easily domesticated animals. Whatever the reason, the quiet progress has been a whole lot easier on everyone. |
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Sirius seems to look more like a Thoroughbred. Comet resembles a Quarter horse, with a big head. Polaris has the look of a Lusitano.
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| Learning About Going Forward | |
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A couple of really foreign concepts are going into play here. First Sirius has been asked to accept something confining around his head and muzzle. And he's been very amenable to the idea. But now, he's feeling pressure down on his poll, and forward on his nose. He's certainly confused about what's being asked of him, but he isn't objecting. His ears show his focus is on Dave, and his expression says: I do trust you, but WHAT do you want me to do? Dave is asking Sirius to move off at a slight angle. Sirius is clearly confused and bracing up a little in his neck and body. When Sirius can't move, Dave maintains gentle pressure on the lead and walks from one side to the other, changing the angle of the pressure. When it's difficult to go forward, it can be a lot easier to move off to one side. When Sirius shows just the slightest thought about moving in any direction, Dave releases the pressure on the lead rope. This shows Sirius that he's doing the right thing: he's even considering moving. Dave is quiet and relaxed, and so are the horses. Dave's got all the time it's going to take, and the mustangs have no where else to go today, either |
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February 28, 2010: Time to Explore the World Up to this point, Polaris, Sirius, and Comet's world has been the inside of the round corral. Here, they've gotten to know each other and their trainers, Krista and Dave. They've been hand fed and hand watered and they've learned to be handled: petted, brushed, touched all over with ropes and a flag, and haltered. They're working on going forward. They're a friendly and trusting bunch, and are developing world skills: it's time to venture out! |
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Polaris feels gentle
steady pressure: from the neck, which is more familiar; and from the
halter, which is a newer feel.
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A little forward movement,
and a great big release.
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A little balky, and
back to gentle steady forward pressure.
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Polaris has made it
into the sheer paneled round corral: an entirely new environment. Judging
by his relaxed demeanor, it's just another nonevent.
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That adventure went really well, and now it's time for the big move: into the barn! |
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Such a lot of big,
new monsters!
But this one smells a whole lot like dinner. |
You don't normally
want to rely too much on bribing a horse. This is an appropriate time
to make an exception.
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Polaris keeps his body
just as far away as he can get it from the hay monster!
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 Life is a whole lot less scary when your mouth is full. |
 Destination in sight. |
He is one easy-going guy. |
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Polaris is comfortable in his stall.
It helps having his buddy Sirius, who's been in the barn for a while now, standing quietly. |
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| Polaris is tied in his stall. He won't stay this way. But he's being monitored closely, and is comfortable being tied. This gives him just a little extra security. | ||
| Krista@FromStartToFoundation.com |
831-588-6214
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1425
San Marcos Rd. Paso Robles, CA 93446
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